Tool support



mined 'irelationpto another element such Patented Sept. 21,1

, .TOOLSUPPORT Edward'F. Nelsomvallejo, Calif; Original application May:1, 1940, Serial No.

.. 338,179, now Patent No. 2,287,818, dated June V30, 1942. Divided andthis application. September v13, 1941, Serial No. 410,793

. :Cla'Lms.' (CL 248-125) This invention relatesxto supports for holdinan element, .such as a .tool, in a certain predeter- :.as the=worktorbeoperatedupon the tool.

The "disclosure :of invention herein originally formed part of, and wasdivided irom, myprior applicatiomserial No.- 338,179, filed May 31,1940,-

now"Patent.No. 2,287,818, datedJune 30, 1942.

Itis an obi'ector .the invention tolprovidea quick-acting support bymeansiof which a tool -may "be'rapidly positioned'in operative relationvshiptothe workto be'operatedupon.

- Another-objector .theinvention is toprovide an improved-clutchiorsecuring together a'pair Poirelativelynadiustablemembers of a worksupport. Y

inventionpossesses other objects and teaturesot advantage which,together withthe foregoing, will .be specifically brought out inthedetailed :description. of the invention Jhereunto annexed. It is tobeunderstood thatthe invention .is not "to be limited to thespecific i'ormthereof herein .shown and described as variousother "embodiments thereof"may be "employed withinthe scope of theappended claims.Reierringtothedrawing: Figure .1 is. a vertical sectional view'oi' thetool support of my invention. The tool carried by the support is shownin dotted lines and the base structure, upon which the tool support mayrest and upon which the tool may operate, is also shown inverticalsection.

bolt nuts would permit water to seep through v the bolt holes thus.rusting the --steelsubstruc hire or hastening rotting of. the wood in.con-

tact with; the steel. 'Inalater andimpro'vedconstruction a series ofthreaded studs were butt welded directly itothe surface or the steelsubstructure thuseliminating the through bolt. holes and dispensing withth services oi the holder-on vfor. securing the hold-down bolt againsttuming. This procedure however required that the wood overlay,.aite'r-thehol'd-down studs were placed, .be properly, positioned overthe studs, tappedso as toim'press .the ends or the. studs.

. into the underside oithe wood. beremo'ved and bored at the.impressionseto :provide the stud apertures, and then .be replaced onthe studs. hold-down nuts werezthen threade on the studs thus securingthe wood and 'thesubstructure together. .This series of operations cosumed nearly as muchconstruction time as did the older throuahe'boltsystem. .Inymy prior Pat; .entiNo. 2,191,494,.issuedFebruaryQ'l, 1940,it is pointed out how considerable time-oanqbe saved in overlaying steelstructures witliwood or other covering material by preiormingin thecoverlng the desired number of stud apertures, then placing the coveringin its ultimateposition on the steel substructure and then electricallybutt weldingthe studs to the underlying steel' through andconcentrically oi the apertures in the covering. ,Thus,immediately..aiter the studs areiweld- "Figure2 is a transversesectionalview, to an enlarged scale, of the portion of the support lying in theplane indicated by'the line 1- of Fi ure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectionalvie'w .oi' the portion of the supportlying in. the plane indicatedby the 1inei:3--3 of Figure 1.

In building construction, and inshipbuilding,

where steel plates or bars are to be sheathed or overlaid with-wood, ithasbeenthe practice heretofore to..flrst ;posltion'the woodover-thesteel substructure, drill holes'through the wood and steel.andlthen .place in these drilled holes suit- .able bolts for permanentlysecuring the wood .to thesteel. The placement or removal of suchretaining bolts required the services of twowork ..mensinceonehadvtohold the boltagainst turning. from the underside of thesubstructure while.

the other, from .above,.- app'1i ed and vcinched the nut. Such procedureconsumed considerabletilne andseriously sloweddownproduction. Further!more, if .thewood was'exposed to theweather,

only a slight loosening of one or more of the edv in place, thehold-down nuts maybe applied to the studs and tightened. u c

It is vitally. important, since the weld which adjoins the stud to thesteel substructure is being made in the bolt aperture; and :i's.thereforeob scuredi'rom ,theview of, the operator, that the distancethe stud is drawn away from/the steel, in creating the welding arc bevery accurately and uniformly maintained for each' successive weldiiuniiormlyflstrong unions are tobe'had' between the studs and the f'steelsubstructure. In prior devices, thewelding head, in which the studforming one 'electzlodeoi the welding circuit washeld, was supported-;on a stand or "tripod which rested on the upper surface oi-thewobd-"overlav'withthe stud projecting downwardly into the stud aperture."Suitable stops on guides in the weldingheadpermittedathe stud. aiter'contact- .ing the surface of the steel substructure, to beIdrawnupwardly a predetermined distance seas to establish. thear'c gapbetween theend of the stud and the substructure. fThe adjustment oi;.the su rt or tripod, when once set, did not re- .quire' variationprovided the thickness oi the E; provided withapertured'lugs rehearin aclamp Thegrip 21 provides a handle for the operator 2 assacsa woodoverlay was uniionn at the'points where Means is provided ior securingthe tool in a the successive welds were made. However, it has selectedelevated position. Secured at its upper been found that the thickness ofthe wood varies end in the-recess II, by the clamp bolt 28, andconsiderably more or less so thatthe positioning 7 v positionedwithinithe' tube I1, is acollet sleeve of the'end of the stud relativeto-the surface of: 5 3i, Whichextends downwardly in axial concenthesteel substructure also varies thereby caustricity with thetube ll,terminates adjacent the ing variationsin the arc gap and adversely af-A,lower end of the latter, and telescopes within testing the quality ofthe resulting weld. I have 1 Y the post H. The lower end ,ofthe 'colletsleeve provided a quick-acting support for such a weldisprovijded with aplurality. of circumferentially ns head, or any verti alee o ary orreciprol spaced, axially extending slots 32;" and with a eating toolwhose operation is to be started from tapered countersink 33 forming acontinuation a predetermining position relative to the work orthe'internalbore 34 ot'thesleeve- This conto e op ted p m which permitspractically struction providesaplurality of'radially flexibleinstantaneous adjustment of the starting-posh; flngers at the lower end.of'th'e collet sleeve. tion 01' the tool regardless of variations inthe 1 Positioned concentrically withiiithe collet sleeve thickness ofthe wood overlay thus insuring that is a controlrod 36 secured'to'thelower threaded each weld or other operation is uniformly-sinnend 31 orwhich is a irustoeconical plug 38 comlartothepreceding one. plementarywith and engaged in the tapered In detail,- I have shown in Figure 1 asteel; f countersink 33 of the colletzsleeve, The upper p a or strutural ar 1 ov rlyi w c end 39 of the control" rod '3' passes slidablywooden plank or other such member Shaving an thr h a, e tral gperturrormed in a washer aperture 1 e tending therethroucn into-w ll whichrests in anxed' ositienj paced from the threaded stud 8, which is tobebuttrwelded the upper end oi- .the*collet si'eevej',flagainst a to te. upn rsu face oi the plate {may lie-in shoulder iormedwithin the boreotthe collet serted. Asuitable shouldered nut,'not sh0wn, jsleeve. A nut.42 ithteadecl on the'extreme is adapted-t0 be fl d y ns ywithh upperend of the control'rod 38 and interposed pper end oi the stud 8, afterthe l'att -h -s between the nutjiiihd thewasher H is anexwelded inposition concentricallyohthe ten ion springfla Th m su i'orthe'purtureI, for securing the wooden plankl' {pose of urgingth -controlrod 3i'iipwardly"in a plate 4 together. The plate 4 forms on I elece directionx allybi" thez colle t sleeve 3| so as-to trade of the welding circuitWIIHG ithBf -StUdf B drawthe'pluglldfinto'theforms the other electrodejthjereot audit lathe by radiallyfv urging th exible fingers of thefunction'of mechanism termedthe'weldii g head colletiisleeveinto 'tlgrltitional enga ement and generally indicatedby'the numeralfilof Fig.-with {the irmer perip "ery o f 'the post II. This ure 1, to, 'first,hold*th'e. stud lgin contactwith' 5 looks tl' fiii'r'n ojrableLtu andthe post i4 against the Surface sp fl 'l ljhdwelding cur-g; relativeongitudi'ii' displacement and also holds rent is turned-on, secondly,toj draw the "stud gdflmio'r other tool carried by the away from theplate to create an=arc gap, a nd iir n'l'y .in the desired elevatedpothirdly, alter the end of the stud and the cop theevent that a tool ofconsiderable fronting surface or the plate have beenbro'ught to thefusion poi t y the arc flame, to q k y lthefingerscontacting the post 14may be knurled .1 11 the melting members so as to efiect a unionV's-"so" as to bite into the surface of the post and thereof. e g 1 gobtain maximum grip between the en- During the welding cycle the weldinghead 8, h ,p'arts. with the exception of the reciprocatin 'l'fim 1 Meansis provided for releasing the frictionally thereof and the stud 8, arerigidly supported in onn'e'cted'pos't H and tube [1, to permit raising afixed position. This is accomplished by la. .and'lowering of the tool 9,and means is further supporting structure comprising s are- 2, whicrof'v'ided for partially counterbalancing the rests on the upper surfaceof the woodemovc jeightof the tool to lessen the force required to lay6, having therein an opening li pthrblllg the latter. Positioned withinthe recess 2 which the stud 8 may be raised and lowered, and "and"between the concentric tube l1 and collet an upwardly rising tubularpost ll whic is se sleeve 3|, is a short tubular filler l4 and theascured, at its lower end, to the base byja -screw" 'sembled tubularmembers areeach provided with It. --Telescoping over and slidableaxially of? 'ialined apertures which form, as shown in Figthe post I isa tube 11 having thereon apair- .011 5 ures 1 and 2, an opening .45through which passes spaced brackets, each comprising a split collar arelease lever 41. A pin 48, having its opposite It secured to the tubeby means or a clamp screw ends seated in holes drilled into the tube l1and I! and having extensions 2i suitably termed to the filler tube,extends transversely across the accommodate] and engage the particular.tool to opening 46 and through a journal aperture bored be supported. Akey 22, projecting through a in the release lever so that the latter ispivotally suitable opening formed in; and adjacent the mounted on thepin. The inner end or the relower end of the tube l1 and enteringakfeyway lease lever is bifurcated to provide a pair of 28 cutlongitudinally in the periphery of the post fingers J9 which bearagainst a washer 51, sell,-serves to prevent ,relative rotationi-between cured to the control rod 36, and the outer end the tube andpost and thereby-tomaintain the 52 0f the release-lever is extendedsubstantially tool or welding head 9 in axial concentricitywith parallelto and outwardly substantially equal to the base opening it. The upperend of the tube the extent or the grip or handle 21. When the i1 extendsinto a bored recess 24 formed in a operator desires to raise or lowerthe tool 9, he hubji having a radially projecting grip 21, and extendsone or' more of the fingers 01' his hand the hub 28 is split axially ortherecess 24 and resting on the grip 21 to engage the outer end 52 ofthe release lever and draws the said outer end of the lever towards thegrip. This causes the fingers 49 to movethecontrol rod 38 downwardly soas to move the plug 38 out 01! the 'l tion '--bolt 29 for clamping thetube I! in the recess 24.

so that new raise and lower the tool 8 with respect to the base I2. 76countersink 33 thereby releasing the radial prescounters'ink 33 thereflweightisybeing used; the'peripheralsurfaces of sure of the colletfingers against the inner wall of the post. With the base I 2 maintainedin contact with the surface of the wood overlay I, the tube l1 and thevarious parts, including the tool 9, carried thereby may beshiftedlongitudinaily of the post to any desired position; Re

lease of the lever extension m sgam set the friction lock to secure thetools in fixed relation to the base l2. An axially expansiblespring 54,positioned within the tube I1 and'ir'iterposed between the ends of thepost and the filler tube 44, respectively, 'serves, when the frictionlock is released, to urge the tube i1 and its-connected parts upwardlythereby partially counterbalancing the weightof the tool 9 and'fac'ilitating its vertical adjustment with greater ease,

, a As was stated above, a uniform arc gap should be maintainedin'successive welds if eachweld is Wise the maximum or strength; As manydescribed in my above-mentioned prior patent, the, mechanismof thewelding head sis pre -set so that the lower endjof'the stud 8 rests onthe upper surface of the steel substructure 8. Whe'n sleeve, pressuremeans interposed betweensaid the welding current is turned on, actiontakes place within the welding head,and 'while'the latter is heldrigidly fixed with relation tothe steel substructure 4, whichirnoves thestud-l=to a position elevated above'the substructurelqfto create thearcv gap betweenthe stud andsubstructure 4. The length of this arc gapis usually only a small fraction of an inch and is chosen to produce thedesiredarc flame depending upon the collet sleeve being concentric withthe upper tubular section and telescopically engaged with the lowertubular section, said collet sleeve, further, 'atits'jf lower end, beingprovided with a taperedbore and a plurality of longitudinally extendingslots"circumferentially dividing the collet sleeveintofaifpluralityoi radially flexible fingers, a complementarilytaperedplug in said tapered sleeve bore, a control rod connected withsaid plug and" extending axially along said collet control rod and saidcollet sleeve for urging said control rod in one direction axially ofthe sleeve,

to pr ess said plug into the said tapered bore of thei-sl'eeve and toexpand said fiexiblefingers ti'on, manually operable means carried bysaid per tubular section-and connected with said ontrol rod for urgingthe control rod'in an oppote direction to radially contract saidflexible rangers, and an apertured base on aid lower support section forengaging a surface to support aid tool in position above said surface.

telescopically engaged with said upper tubular section and slidableaxially thereof, a collet sleeve amount of welding current available."-;lt will be seen that ifthe distance"betweenfitl i liupperx of raisedseams, protuberances o "depressions in the surface of the substruccoincide with one or -mo the depths of all of the, pe will not be alike.Using previouslyfkn equipment, work was s riously retarded by- 'the'n'iiirement that the workman, before makingeach weld, measure the depth ofeach hole and set the welding head support accordingly to 'fprovide thedesired arc gap. With the support-of-{my invention, it is only necessaryto place the base I! in position on the planking 8 over theape'rture 'Iand release the friction lock betweenthepost l4 and the tube I! so: astoallow tneg v aperture I I ,until it 'j ust. touches the upper surfaceofthe substructure "4. f'The lock may be then reengaged, since, the.stud is now positioned to provide the correct length of arc gap when itis drawn away from the substructure bythe lifting mechanism within thewelding head. It will be therefore'seen that a workman may quickly setthe apparatus for each individual hole in which a stud is tobe mounted;without appreciably cutting down his production speed. 7

Having thus described my invention in detail,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. steel support comprising an upper tubular section,-' means. on saidupper tubular section for connecting a tool thereto, a lower tubularsection telescopically engaged with saidupper tubular section, andslidable axially thereof, a collet sleeve; carried by said upper tubularsection, said ud' t to descend into the carried by said uppertubularsection, said collet sleeve being concentric with the upper tubularsection and telescopically engaged with-the lower tubular section, saidcolletsleev'e, further, at its lower end, being provided with ataperedbor'and a plurality of longitudinally extending slotscircumferentially dividing the collet sleeve intoa plurality 0f d llrgflxible fin ers. a comples mentarily tapered plug in said tapered", sleevebore, a control rod connected with 'saidplug andextending axially alongsaid collet sleeve, pres sure means interposed between said control rodand said collet sleeve for urging said control rod in one directionaxially of the sleeve to press said plug into the said-tapered bore ofthe sleeve and to expand'said flexible fingers radially into engagementwith said lower support section, a hand grip connected with andextending radially from said upper support section, a release leverpivotally mounted on said upper support section ad- I iacent said handgrip and connected with and to move said control rod downwardly relativeto the upper support section to move said tapered plug out of saidtapered bore so as to radially contract said flexible ilngersfromengagement with said lower support section, and a base carried by thelowersupport section for engaging a surface so as to support said toolin position above said surface.

'S A- tool support comprising upper and lower sections slidable one onthe other, laterally extendingmeans ontheupper section for mounting a'tool at the side thereof, means for look-- section, and means forreleasing the locking-- ;means disposed adjacent the handle.

4. A tool support comprising upper andlower sections slidable one ,onthe other, laterally extending means on the upper section for mounting atool at the side thereof, means for locking the two sections together, ahandle by which.

radially into engagement with said lower support,

2. A tool support comprising an upper'tubular' section, means on saidupper tubular section for connecting a tool thereto, a lower. tubularsectioneecti'on above the tool and adjacent the bandle.

5. A tool support comprising upper and lower sections slidable one onthe other, means on the upper section for mounting a tool thereon, aspring interposed between the two sections to counterbalance the weightof the tool carrying section, means for locking the two sectionstogether, a hand grip by which the support and attached tool may becarried disposed on one of the sections, a base disposed on the lowersection, and digitally operated means adjacent the hand grip forreleasing the locking means.

6. A tool support comprising a single tubular section, a second sectioncomprising a pair of concentric spaced tubular members between which thesingle section is telescoped, a base fixed on one of the sections, ahand grip fixed on one of the sections, means on one of the sections formounting a tool, spring pressed means for locking the two sectionstogether, counterbalancing means for the tool carrying sectioninterposed between the sections, and means for releasing the springpressed locking means arranged -adjacent' the hand grip.

7. A tool support comprising a single tubular section, a second sectioncomprising a pair of concentric spaced tubular members between which thesingle section is telescoped, a base fixed on one of the sections, ahand grip fixed on one of the sections, means on one of the sections formounting a tool, spring pressed means for expanding the inner tubularmember against the surrounding tubular section to lock the two sectionstogether, a counterbalancing spring disposed between the concentrictubular members and interposed between them and the single tubularsection, and a digitally operated lever adjacent the hand grip iorretracting the e:- panding means to release said lock.

8. A tool support comprising upper and lower sections slidabie one onthe other, means on one of the sections for attaching a tool on the sidethereof, a handy grip by which the support and attached 'tool may becarried, said hand grip "being fixed on the tool-holding section andextending laterally'thereirom over the center of gravity of the combinedsupport and tool, a base arranged on the other section and extendinglaterally therefrom beyond said center or gravity, said basebeingrecessed to permit passage therethrough oftool parts, springpressed means for .lockingrsaid sections together, and meansadjacent-the hand grip for releasing said locking means,

9. A tool support comprising upper and low.- er sections, a base fixedon the lower section, means on the upper section for mounting a tool,the upper section being slidable on the lower section to position partof the tool below the base, means for locking the two sections together,a hand grip by which the support and attached tool may be carried, andmeans for releasing the locking means disposed adjacent the hand grip.

10. A tool support comprising a lower tubular section, an upper tubularsection slidable within the lower section, a base on the lower section,means for mounting a tool on the upper section, a hand grip on the uppersection, a rod in the upper section and terminating in aconical plugarranged in. the lower end of the upper section, a spring interposedbetween the rod and the upper section to draw the plug into the sectionto expand it against the outer section, and

digitally perated lever adiacent the hand grip' free the plug.

